Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
This Russian soldier who lost his right hand when a grenade went off during military training has now been fined over 12,000 GBP by army bosses over the incident.
Soldier Sergey Koshelev was involved in an accident which saw a grenade explode at an outdoor military range near the village of Beyneu in western Kazakhstan’s Mangystau Region in July this year.
Koshelev lost his right hand in the accident and his sister Rushan Zhabatova said her brother had been trying to help another soldier named Beybaris Zhamanbaev when he saw a grenade which was not marked as a military weapon.
She said: “Then they were called to go line up. He turned around and this is when the explosion happened. And his right hand was gone.”
Both soldiers were taken to a regional hospital in Aktau to undergo surgery. Koshelev is missing his right hand, cannot see with his right eye, and underwent surgery on his foot.
Despite his injuries, an investigation was launched against him for violation of the rules for handling weapons, as well as with substances and objects that pose a danger to others by the military watchdog.
He was handed a fine of 6,108,702 KZT (12,295.70 GBP) and given a two-year probation period.
His family have appealed against the ruling and are set to receive a decision on their appeal at a court date today (Thursday 17th October).
His sister said: “He celebrated his birthday on 16th July. We congratulated him on the phone that day. The next day on 17th July we received a call and were told that ‘your brother cut himself a bit and he is the one to blame for it’.”
She said her brother remained conscious through the whole episode and even applied his own stitches.
Netizen ‘Angel’ said: “As far as I know, the person who has to be held responsible is the one that left that grenade there unattended.”
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